On Thursday, November 21, 2024, the Japan America Society of Southern California (JASSC) successfully hosted the 2024 Women’s Leadership Counts (WLC) Conference under the theme "Dear Young Me."

Held at Pillsbury Winthrop Shaw Pittman LLP in downtown Los Angeles, this year’s WLC conference provided a reflective and thought-provoking platform to explore personal growth, life lessons, and the wisdom we wish we could share with our younger selves. Through inspiring speeches, engaging fireside chats, and a lively Q&A session, participants delved into transformative experiences that shape who we are today. The intimate setting fostered meaningful connections and dynamic conversations among attendees, leaving a lasting impression on all who participated.

The program featured an exceptional lineup of speakers:

• Sabina Helton, Los Angeles Superior Court Judge
• Julie Norquist-Roy, CMO and Board Advisor in B2B SaaS
• Chris Patay, Partner at Pillsbury Winthrop Shaw Pittman LLP
• Chiho Kelly, Managing Director at Ernst & Young, who served as the event's moderator.

The event concluded with a networking reception, where attendees had the opportunity to engage with the speakers, sponsors, and fellow participants. Many expressed their appreciation for the insightful discussions, inspiring presentations, and the chance to build valuable connections.

We would like to extend our heartfelt gratitude to our sponsors and partners for their unwavering support, as well as to all who joined us for this special event. Your participation made the 2024 WLC Conference a remarkable success.

Stay tuned for future programs from the Women’s Leadership Counts Initiative. We look forward to welcoming you to our upcoming events!

Thursday, November 21, 2024

Conference Venue:

Pillsbury, Winthrop, Shaw, Pittman 

725 South Figueroa Street - 36th floor

Los Angeles, CA 90017 

Registration:

4:15 p.m.

Program:
4:30 p.m. - 6:30 p.m.

Networking Reception:
6:30 p.m. - 

Admission Fee:

Member - $25

Non-members - $50

2024 Featured Speakers and Moderator

Sabina Helton Los Angeles Superior Court Judge	Julie Norquist-Roy CMO and Board Advisor in B2B SaaS	Chris Patay Partner, Pillsbury Winthrop Shaw Pittman LLP

Chiho Kelly
Managing Director,

Assurance Services

Ernst & Young

(Moderator)

 

About the Speakers

Sabina Helton
Los Angeles Superior Court Judge

Sabina Helton is a judge with the Los Angeles Superior Court.  She was appointed to this position by Governor Brown in 2018.  She currently serves in a Juvenile Justice assignment, serving youth and families from Los Angeles County.  She also runs STAR Court, a specialized court for youth who are identified as being commercially sexually trafficked while being system involved. 

Prior to becoming a judge, Sabina was an attorney with various law firms, including Pillsbury Winthrop, Kelley Drye & Warren, and McGuireWoods.  She also served as in house counsel at Mitsubishi Motors.  She ended her career in private practice as an equity partner at Buchalter LLP.   Her practice revolved primarily around representing Japanese companies in matters ranging from litigation, employment, business contracts and other matters. 

Sabina was involved with the Japanese American Bar Association for many years as a member of the Board of Governors, as Vice President and as the President in 2016. 

Sabina was born and raised in Japan until the age of 16.  She and her husband have two sons.  One is an officer in the Air Force, and the other is an officer in the Navy.  She and her husband enjoy running, traveling, wine tasting and hanging out with their three rescue dogs. 

Chiho Kelly
Managing Director, Assurance Services, Ernest & Young

Chiho Kelly is a managing director in Ernst & Young’s Assurance services and has been with EY for over 21 years. Chiho belongs to the firm’s Japan Business Services, focusing on serving Japanese companies’ subsidiaries in Southern California. Chiho received her bachelor’s in accounting from California State University, Long Beach. She is a US CPA and a member of the America Institute of Certified Public Accountants.

Chiho was born and raised in Japan until the age of 18. She and her husband have one daughter, age 10.

She is a member of Board of directors and a treasurer of Japan America Society of Southern California and currently leads the JASSC’s Women’s Leadership Counts Initiative.

Julie Norquist-Roy

CMO and Board Advisor in B2B SaaS

Julie Norquist Roy lives in Los Angeles with her French husband and two teenage boys. She has 20 years of operational leadership serving as Chief Marketing Officer for PE- and VC-backed B2B software-as-a-service firms, from early stage to exit (IPO, acquisition, and merger). She is passionate about building go-to-market strategies and developing high-performing teams from the ground up. Most recently, Julie earned a specialization in Sustainable Business and Management from UCLA Extension (June 2024) and is a Climatebase Fellow in Cohort 6 (Fall 2024). In 2024, she launched her consulting firm, Marketing4Impact, to help purpose-driven brands strengthen their go-to-market strategies and amplify their impact.

Chris Patay
Partner,  Pillsbury Winthrop Shaw Pittman LLP

Chris Patay leads Pillsbury’s Corporate Group in Los Angeles, where he advises companies on mergers and acquisitions, financings, joint ventures, strategic alliances and other significant corporate matters. Chris advises companies with respect to mergers and acquisitions, investments and joint ventures. He regularly handles cross-border transactions, including representing many Japanese and UK companies in their U.S. acquisitions and investments. Chris also represents both issuers and investors in venture capital transactions involving debt and equity securities. Chris’ award-winning practice recently earned him ranking in Chambers USA (2020 – 2024) for Corporate/M&A in Southern California. He is also recognized by The Legal 500 U.S., M&A: Middle-Market (2019). Chris is Vice Chair and Counsel of Japan America Society of Southern California and President and member of the Board of Trustees of Harbor Regional Center. 

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